


I won't be far, wherever you are

by midnightdrives



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Post-Apocalypse, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-06
Updated: 2014-10-06
Packaged: 2018-02-20 01:59:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2410787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightdrives/pseuds/midnightdrives
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Previously published on Tumblr and Fan-Fiction.net. </p><p>They walk in the remains of the mundane world, running away from the evils of the magical world. Enjolras must protect Eponine, but she's too angry at him to let him do his job. Post-apocalyptic. Title and lyrics from Stanfour's song, I Will Be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. act i

_i_

_All the thoughts in your mind,_

_You can say them to me._

_All the tears in your eyes,_

_You can let them fall free._

_From his side of the mattress, Enjolras examined the scars on her back. They were already beginning to fade but he also noted the appearance of a few new ones. He forced the thought out of his head and instead focused on the natural glow of her skin. Though it had been smudged with dirt and ruined with bruises, it still maintained a subtle beauty._

_His thoughts were interrupted when Eponine began to stir. She shifted her weigh onto her back and stared up at Enjolras with sleepy eyes. "Good morning," she said, her hand coming up to rub the sleep off her eyes. Her voice was raspy and tired. It was far from gentle and angelic, yet it stirred something from within the pit of his stomach._

_Enjolras slowly leaned forward and planted a kiss upon her rough and dried lips. Eponine responded immediately, raising a calloused hand to cup his cheek. It was lazy yet full of passion, each pulling, sucking, and conquering. It was a short moment of complete bliss, one that Enjolras was sure to forever store in his library of memories._

*****

Enjolras completely forgotten how the sky looked before the whole world practically ended. He does not recall the sun's warmth on his skin, nor the white clouds that would float across the blue sky. Instead, all he knew was the endless sight of gray clouds. He did not pay much attention to them before, but now...

He let out a long sigh before he shoved a hand into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette. He really needed one at the moment.

"Why do you need that?" Grantaire asked. He stood five feet away from Enjolras; he did not dare to move even an inch closer. He knew Enjolras as a character who preferred solitude over company. Unlike the rest of them, he did not desperately search for contact. He did not have that natural human desire. Yet again, Enjolras was not exactly human. "There's barely any people here to overload your senses."

He, along with Lesgle, Feuilly, and Bahorel, watched Enjolras for a moment. The man stood still and simply watched the sky. He mulled over his thoughts before he bothered to answer Grantaire's question. "It relaxes me," he said nonchalantly. Once again, the question whether this _Apollo_ had the ability to feel crossed all of their heads. Never have they ever, in the months of knowing Enjolras, seen him display any sign of emotions. He was solely seen as a marble statue, a cold warrior determined to fulfill his sole obligation.

"Come on," he said suddenly, startling the silent ambience. "We need to continue moving."

*****

Not only was Eponine trying to survive, she was also hiding. From what, she would never tell Cosette. It was only a few months ago that she and Marius came across the two Jondrette siblings. Both were on their guard, hesitant to accept any help from strangers. It did not take long for the thirteen year old blond with the lopsided grin to open up to them. Eponine, on the other hand, required an amount of three weeks before she discussed her likes and dislikes with Cosette and Musichetta.

The sight of the ruined streets and abandoned buildings always saddened Cosette. Each time they passed by the remains of an old convenient store, Cosette would look through the windows only to see a wreck, a disaster that was left when everything fell apart. She'd tried to imagine their surroundings in the days before, when people would walk across the streets without a care. It was strange to say that she actually missed waiting in line to reach the register. She missed the regular, normal, ordinary life.

Now, her life was all about survival.

"Want a Twinkie?" Gavroche asked with a glint of child-like joy in his eyes. He held two Twinkies in both hands, one was held closely to himself while the other was stretched out towards Cosette. She offered the little boy a smile before taking the desert. "Thanks, Gav."

Gavroche smiled and began to eat his Twinkie. They were currently at an abandoned grocery store in a place that was once known as New York City. Marius, Joly, and Jehan stood at the entrance, working as guard while the rest of them collected necessities. Eponine was grabbing a whole stack of chocolate bars and stuffed all of it into her bag. "We're going to need these one week for every month," she had explained discreetly to Musichetta.

"Should we continue moving west?" Jehan asked once they gathered outside. "Or do we move south?"

This question left on Eponine on edge. She was constantly checking her surroundings, making sure that whatever she was hiding from didn't appear out of nowhere. What she hated the most was being taken by surprise. Every time the wind blew, she would hold on tightly to her hair, hoping that her scent would not blow towards the very thing she dreaded. Cosette would stare curiously whenever she did that but never spoken out her concern. Eponine was too much of an enigma and even if she laid out all of her secrets for all of them to see, she would still remain a mystery.

*****

_Eponine was running as fast as she could, though her feet were begging her to stop. The monsters were right behind her, so she was not stopping any time soon. Her heart was beating frantically and she already felt the blisters forming on the soles of her feet. It was becoming hard to breathe through her nose instead of gasping for air. Still, her life was on the line and she desperately needed to get to Gavroche._

_She stopped at a dark alley and crouched behind a dumpster, praying that the monsters' weren't able to smell her. She put a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop the sound of her breathing and tried to regulate her heartbeat. Since the disaster broke out, she has not stopped running. They have been after her from the beginning and she was not going to let them get her._

_After a few moments passed and no sound was made, she decided that the coast was clear and that it was okay for her to come out. Keeping her cross-bow close, she walked out with deliberate steps. Just because the streets were empty did it mean that she was safe? Now, more than ever, she was in deep danger._

_She stood there for a moment before a giant claw grabbed her by the shoulder. With a scream, Eponine began to struggle as three demons tried to gag her. She punched and kicked, doing anything she could to release herself from their grasps. She even bit one of their hands, earning herself a growl from one the demons._

_The sound of gunshot startled her. One demon, with red skin and black tattoos that covered his entire body, fell to the ground and clutched tightly to his shoulder. He dropped her legs in the process and Eponine took this as opportunity to kick his skull. Another gunshot sounded and another demon fell to the ground, blood oozing from his temple._

_The last demon that remained quickly held on to Eponine, one arm wrapped around her neck while the other on her waist. He frantically looked over their surroundings while Eponine kept struggling against his hold on her. They ceased once a third gunshot sounded and the demon's grip her loosened. Eponine turned around to see wide, red eyes. There was fear in his eyes and blood flowing out of his mouth. Eponine was used the sight of gore and horror; she did not yelp when the demon fell at her feet._

_She was startled by a voice. "Are you alright?"_

_Eponine spun at her heel and was taken aback by the man that stood in front of her. He was tall and lean with an intimidating presence. His mop of golden curls fell in front of his eyes but she was able to see the color of crystal blue in his eyes. He wore a black leather jacket on top of a navy blue t-shirt and a pair of beat-up denim jeans. Just like herself, he was covered with smudges of dirt and bruises. Still, he managed to look unearthly beautiful._

_"I'm okay," Eponine said, her voice hoarse from days of not using it. "Though, I could have handled those goons."_

_A smirk graced his lips. "I'm sure you could had, but I think if I hadn't intervene, you would have been dead by know."_

They wouldn't have done that _, Eponine thought._ They need me alive.

_"Thanks, anyways," Eponine said, trying to end the conversation. "I should be getting back to someone. Stay safe, stranger."_

_"You shouldn't be walking out here alone," he said before she had the chance to walk away. "I'm coming with you."_

_She let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't have a choice, do I?"_

_"Nope."_

*****

They crashed in an abandoned motel for the night. Feuilly and Lesgle took the two beds while Bahorel took the sofa chair. Grantaire drunkenly took the tub and slept with a bottle of wine in his arms. Enjolras stayed outside with a cigarette between his lips. His eyes were focused on the view before him: an empty street with beat-up cars and discarded trash on the concrete ground. The only sound was movement of the wind as it moved from east to west. He took a long, deep breath and leaned against the railing.

She was somewhere out there, he told himself, each and every day. It was a mantra he always told himself. It was what kept him moving.

He'd even replay all of his memories of her just to motivate him to keep going forward—to search for her. He need to find her and he would go through the ends of the earth just to find her.

Enjolras sniffed the air as it breezed pass him. No scent.

He continued to smoke his cigarette.

*****

_"You're not human, are you?" Eponine asked one night while Gavroche was asleep._

_They have been walking among the remains of the planet for several months and with each passing day, they've grew closer—too close, Enjolras noted. They both sat in front of the fire, allowing its warmth to comfort them. They were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lanky trees and fallen leaves. Part of Eponine's figure was illuminated by the blaze while the rest remained in the darkness. Her hair, which was tied in a ponytail, was completely coal black and her dark brown eyes appeared darker than ever. They were fixated on Enjolras and he would be lying if he said that they did not entranced him._

_"What makes you say that?"_

_"You have heightened senses," Eponine stated. "I can tell whenever you sniff the air. And you're stronger than you look. You can't an ordinary human."_

_"Well," Enjolras said slowly. "If it's just between us, I know that you're not exactly ordinary either."_

_They stared at each other for a moment, blue eyes to brown. Without even knowing it, they were slowly gravitating towards one another, until they were just inches away. Enjolras's eyes drifted to her pink lips, which looked very inviting at the moment. When his eyes returned to hers, he was surprised to see the hint of lust swirling within their depths. With no thoughts on his mind, he reached up and trailed a finger gently down her cheek. Eponine did not flinched from the contact, instead, she leaned into it._

_"We should probably go to sleep," Eponine whispered. Her voice sounded too delicate for her liking._

_Enjolras nodded and forced himself away from her. He felt cold all of the sudden._

*****

Eponine sat with Gavroche's head resting on her lap. Everyone, besides Eponine, was in deep slumber. She could not sleep, not when paranoia kept her wide awake. For safety measures, she kept her hair in a ponytail. It wasn't going to do much, but it was going to do something.

Her scent was forever engraved in his memory, she knew. That was one of the downfalls of having been associated with a soul-warrior.

They were in the middle of nowhere, a scene all too familiar to Eponine. Memories flooded her head, happy ones that caused her to feel sick to her stomach. She hated those memories and hated how they caused her stomach to flutter. She was training herself to hate the man. Though, she was doing a terrible job at it.

She focused her thoughts on now, on Gavroche and keeping him safe. That was her sole purpose, keeping them safe.

*****

_They decided to stay the night at an abandoned house they found on an old suburban neighborhood. It had two bedrooms and one bathroom with a nice living room and kitchen. The thought that she never had a chance to live that sort of life saddened Eponine. All she's ever known was survival._

_Enjolras stayed in one room while Gavroche and Eponine stayed in the other. Gavroche easily fell asleep beside Eponine but she, on the other hand, was wide awake. Her thoughts were too enthralled with a certain blonde warrior. She thought of his stern, blue eyes, his impressive biceps, and his low and strong voice. Finally having enough, she forced herself out of bed and went out the door to walk to across the hall to Enjolras's room._

_She took two deep breaths before finding the courage to knock on the door. She heard him rummaging inside before opening the door. He stood in front of her with no shirt on, the only clothing on was his pair of black boxers. Eponine felt her cheeks flush and forced her eyes to focus on his eyes instead of his muscular chest. Enjolras's eyes also trailed down her body, which was only clad in volleyball shorts and an oversized t-shirt._

_"I can't sleep," Eponine explained in a soft whisper which highly contrasted with her tough personality. She has only ever felt vulnerable with Enjolras. "I came to check and see whether you were still awake."_

_"Yeah, I was just reading," Enjolras said, his voice deep and husky. It caused heat to flood between her legs and goose bumps to appear on her arms._

_"Do you mind if I hang out here?" Eponine asked despite her throat going dry._

_"Yeah, sure."_

_Just like the night in the woods, they were slowly beginning to gravitate towards one another. She had to arch her neck to meet his intense gaze, which were full of nothing but desire. Without thinking, she placed a hand on his chest just when his came up to cup her cheek. He slowly inched his face closer to hers, giving her time to pull away if she wanted to. But she did not, so Enjolras leaned far enough that their lips finally met in a heated kiss._

_Their lips moved in sync and they fitted perfectly together, it was too good to be true. They started to make their way to the bed, where they fell together and got lost together._

*****

Enjolras and the rest of the group were walking down an empty road when they ran into Combeferre and Courfeyrac. Lesgle and Feuilly held their guns at the ready but with a gesture of his hand, Enjolras told them that it was alright. He knew those men.

"It has been a long time, Enjolras," Courfeyrac said as he went to shake the man's hand. "How have you been? You're assignment going well?"

Enjolras was silent for a moment and both Courfeyrac and Combeferre received their answer. "My assignment is difficult. She may have ran away when she uncovered what I was."

Combeferre shook his head shamefully. "Enjolras..."

"I broke the code," Enjolras admitted regretfully. "I did what they told us exactly _not_ to do."

Both Combeferre and Courfeyrac stared at the golden-haired man with sad eyes. It was Grantaire who spoke.

"It's not your fault, Enjolras."

*****

_Eponine rested her head on his chest. He had one arm wrapped around her waist while the other held was entwined with her hand. It's been a year since they've first met and three months since they finally succumbed to their attraction. He, Eponine, and Gavroche have basically been living like a happy family._

_"Should we continue to move north, or should we head south?" Eponine asked, lifting her head to get a better look at him._

_He shrugged his shoulders. "Whichever way you want to go."_

_"So let's continue going north."_

_"As you wish."_

*****

Eponine watched as Marius wrapped a reassuring arm around Cosette. She felt jealousy swirl within her. It has been nearly a year since she had loving arms wrapped around her. The memory of his breath against her ear caused her to shiver involuntarily.

"They look like they were made for each other," Musichetta observed. She hugged her jacket closer when the cold front passed them. "It's sweet how they could stay like that despite living in this mess."

Eponine forced her eyes away from the sight of Marius and Cosette and, instead, watched as Gavroche, Jehan, and Joly ran around the forest. They all looked so carefree; Eponine envied it. "You think they have any tips? On how to stay positive?"

Musichetta shrugged. "Each other."

Eponine held back a frown. _How do I become that happy again?_

*****

_Eponine bolted awake one night, her eyes wide and glowing green, her breathing frantic. She scattered onto her feet, trying to get as far away from Enjolras as she could. He was still sound asleep, and Eponine took this opportunity to sneak out. She gathered all her belongings, quietly stepped out of their motel room, and went to get Gavroche._

_"What's going on?" Gavroche asked, his voice dripping with sleep. "Where's Enjolras?"_

_"Enjolras can't come with us," Eponine whispered. She had to practically carry him out of his motel room. "We have to keep moving so the monsters won't catch us."_

_"Why are we leaving Enjolras?" Gavroche was beginning to become frantic. Eponine told him to hush and pushed him down the stairs and towards the exit. "We can't leave him behind."_

_"We have to, Gav," Eponine whispered, her eyes were beginning to get teary. "We can't trust anyone, remember?"_

*****

The day Eponine dreaded came too soon for her liking. They were walking along the streets of a place that was once called Chicago when Jehan became alarm that someone else was there. Eponine, too, felt it, and advised everyone to hide. It went like a game of hide-and-seek, until everyone ran met in the middle of an intersection.

She caught sight of his blond hair and hid behind Joly, pressing herself to his back. Enjolras, though, sniffed the air and immediately knew she was there. "Eponine," he said under his breath. No one but Eponine heard. A second passed before Eponine blotted, Enjolras followed close behind her, leaving the rest completely confused.

Just like the day they met, her feet were aching and her heart was beating rapidly. "Eponine," he shouted. "Eponine, come back!"

"Get the hell away from me!" she shouted back. "I ran away for a reason."

She turned at an alley and cursed when she saw a dead-end. She stopped and waited for Enjolras to reach her. "Why won't you leave me alone?!"

Enjolras's eyes narrowed. "Because it's my job to protect you. I swore to keep you safe from

Thenardier."


	2. act ii

ii

_Here with you don't be scared, you can lose yourself_

_Close your eyes the coast is clear, I will guard you well_

_Save the words rest your soul in the silence, baby_

_Don't you fear_

_Eponine was twelve when her mother moved her to live in the woods outside the kingdom. It was a month after she had her first vision—a man was standing on a golden throne with a mass of dark clouds and evil spirits swirling behind him. The image frightened her and, as any child would, she ran to her mother. The sight of Eponine's brown eyes glowing green caused the Lady Thenardier to almost faint, but she was quick to act._

_She lived in the little cottage with a witch by the name of Fantine. She was a sad woman who took care of Eponine as if she were her daughter, though her actual daughter lived in another realm. Her mother would occasionally visit with Gavroche beside her._

_Life in the woods suited Eponine better than being confined within the walls of a castle. It was also during her time of hiding that she learned about the horrible conditions of the people. The king, her father, was a power-hungry man who cared for no one but himself. Albeit, Eponine would learn from her mother that this man who ruled with cruelty and fear was not actually her father, and that her true parentage is what makes her different. Were the king to discover what she really was, then everyone would be in danger._

*****

"You lied to me!" Eponine exclaimed, pounding her fist against Enjolras's chest.

"I did it to protect you," Enjolras tried to rationalize but his words were not reaching her ears.

"You deceived me!" Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. "Everything you said was a _lie_!"

Enjolras grabbed both of her wrists and pulled her flush against him, and memories of being this close to her flashed through his mind. He noted the familiar smell of her and allowed it to comfort him for a moment.

"I've heard about your kind," Eponine said through sobs, interrupting his thoughts. "You're a soul-warrior. You're duty is to keep peace and protect our lands, no matter the cost. You'd do anything to stick to your duty, even pretend to feel so strongly for a girl like me." When she said this, she shoved Enjolras away from her.

She took a minute to regulate her breathing and calm her frantic heart. It has been a year since she's last seen Enjolras and the sight of him overwhelmed her with emotions. She hated how vulnerable she acted when it all came down to him. "You don't have to worry about me," she said when she was finally able to breathe. "I can look out for myself."

"I have to protect you, Eponine," Enjolras sighed. "Like you said, I have to stick to my duty."

Her eyes narrowed. "Just stay the hell away from me. Protect me from a distance. I don't want you anywhere near me."

And with that, she left to join the others.

*****

_Eponine was a Seer, a being capable of seeing past, present, and future. She was able to communicate with the spirits of those who passed to the afterlife, and they often whispered secrets into her ears. They would tell her stories of their past, their greatest desires, and their worst fears. They found her to be the only living being that could actually sympathize with them. And because of this ability, she was an essential factor for the king's plans._

_Knowing this, the Order gave Enjolras the task of protecting the young girl. He was one of the best—a true warrior by blood. His adversaries feared him and all his fellow men praised him. He had skills with a sword and is known to be a great archer. He was perfect for the job, they just did not expect the young man to become entranced by the Seer._

_He began his duty by watching her from a distance. The girl was fifteen at the time, wild and savage. She would run through the woods and climb every tree, ruining her dress in the process. Her eyes always had a glint of mischief within them, and they always brought a smirk of amusement upon Enjolras's countenance._

_He would tell himself that he just simply found her amusing. Nothing more, nothing less._

*****

"She's the girl you've been looking for?" Grantaire asked as they sat by the fire. He took a long sip of his vodka before adding, "I can understand why."

The stars glowed in the dark sky above them and the wind surrounded them with its cold air. Musichetta was in a deep conversation with Lesgle and Joly while Marius held Cosette in his arms. This sight caused him to look over his shoulder to see a sleeping dark figure. Eponine slept with her backpack pillowing her head and Gavroche beside her. This was the closet she was to him since over a year and yet, she felt far away. She was too closed off from him and he did not like it one bit. He wanted to lay beside her like just they used to.

"She looks like the mysterious type," Grantaire noted as he continued to watch Enjolras as he watched Eponine sleep. "Exactly the kind of girl to captivate a guy like you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Enjolras said, turning his attention to his drunk friend.

Grantaire chuckled. "You're an extraordinary guy, Enjolras. It can't take an ordinary girl to steal your interest. She's very dark, guarded, and strong." His eyes glazed over, watching the movements of the fire, before laughing to himself and taking another sip of vodka. "I be you'd guys argue before having hot sex."

Enjolras flinched at the observation but did not allow his reaction to show. Instead, he hung his head low, choosing to stare at the ground.

*****

_Sixteen year old Eponine remembered the blue sky shifting to gray, the clouds coming together to form nothing but darkness. The angrily blew towards the castle's direction. Eponine held her green cape in place, though the wind caused her dark curls to billow behind her. A transparent figure was beside he, shaped in what seemed like a little girl—perhaps the age of thirteen. It leaned closer to Eponine and whispered something to her._

_"The bad thing is coming."_

_Soon, dark shadows began to fill the entire kingdom. Fantine kept Eponine hidden in the cottage while she attempted to contact the girl's mother through a looking-glass. Instead, a portal opened and an eight year old boy with disheveled strands of blond hair tumbled through._

_"Gavroche!" Eponine exclaimed as she rushed to her brother's side._

_"Momma sent me here," Gavroche explained after a moment, rubbing the side of his head. "She said that Papa started something bad."_

_Fantine slowly walked towards the window. From their small cottage, they had a perfect view of the castle. It stood tall on a mountain overlooking the kingdom, a mass of trees surrounding it and accentuating its beauty. Fantine's eyes trailed up to the sky and noticed a group of dark clouds, along with a few dark shadows, encircling the castle._

_"You're father started a war."_

*****

"You're a seer," Cosette repeated, tasting the words against her mouth and the way they rolled off her tongue. "And he is a soul-warrior."

Eponine nodded, her eyes focused on their surroundings. They were walking along a town when it began to rain. They took refuge in an abandoned warehouse filled with nothing but wooden crates all stacked, one on top of the other. Both Cosette and Eponine sat on a crate while the others wondered around the warehouse. Cosette took advantage of that moment to ask Eponine about her past with the cold soldier.

"I see past, present, and future," Eponine elaborated. "I can see every living thing and every dead thing."

"And you're running from the demons that work for your father?" Cosette was beginning to find the whole back story...strange. Then again, she also had a few strange abilities.

"He's not my father," Eponine replied rather too quickly. "He's an evil tyrant who I thought was my father. My actual father is the King of Wolves."

Cosette raised an eyebrow at the title, causing Eponine to giggle. "Where I'm from, there's a king who lives in the woods. He's actually a shifter—a man who can shift into a wolf. He lives there with a bunch of magical people like him.

"He met my mother a few months before she married that evil man and fell in love with her. She was already promised to the tyrant but they had a secret affair before she was sent off to the other kingdom. She passed me off as the tyrant's daughter but when I was eight, I began to have visions of the past, the present, and the future.

"So then my mom sent me to live in the woods, told the tyrant that it was better for me to live in the woods instead of castle; less messes in the corridors. But she was actually hiding me from him; she knew that my powers would attract his interest and that he might use it for something bad."

"But he discovered you and your powers?" Cosette interjected.

Eponine nodded. "And now I'm here, still hiding from him."

*****

They continued to walk without encountering any sort of trouble; no demons, no other humans, just the hostility between Enjolras and Eponine. Anger radiated off of Eponine wherever she stood, increasing only when Enjolras was in close proximity. He would try to put as much distance as he could, but naturally, they both gravitated towards one another. Neither were ever able to stay away. Jehan, always a romantic, made that observation with Marius and Cosette.

He watched the pair with great interest, especially when they came across a fence that was in their way. Courfeyrac was the first to climb, and then he helped Gavroche. Marius went after, followed by Cosette and so on. Just as Eponine swung a leg to the other side, Enjolras was there to assist her.

She struggled a bit, her shirt rising up to reveal a bit of her midriff and the fabric of her pants getting caught. Enjolras's hands shot forward and grabbed her by her waist. The brush of callous finger tips against smooth skin caused little sparks of electricity to pass between the two. Once her feet finally touched the ground, she turned around and found herself extremely close to Enjolras. Her eyes stared at his chest while he stared at the top of her head.

He smelled exactly the same, Eponine noted. They stood close to one another for a moment, hearing nothing but each other's breathing, before Eponine took a step to the side. Everyone – with the exception of Jehan, Cosette and Grantaire – were too busy talking to notice.

"Thanks," Eponine muttered, taking deliberate steps as she went to join the rest of the group. Enjolras watched with darkened blue eyes.

*

_"We have to send them to the other world," Fantine told the queen once things began to get worse._

_The Lady Thenardier nodded in agreement. From her balcony, she examined the swirls of darkness and dread that covered the sky. Then a thought appeared on her head and she gasped. "But how on earth will they survive?"_

_Fantine stared at the stoned ground. "Eponine is strong. She will survive."_

*****

They were walking through tree roots and uneven, grassy grounds when they heard an angry howl. Eponine held her crossbow at the ready but Enjolras rushed to her side with a gun at hand. She noticed this and rolled her eyes. "I can handle myself, Enjolras," she whispered harshly.

"Yeah, but it's my job to protect you," Enjolras countered. "Whether you like it or not, I made an oath to do my job."

"Well aren't you the perfect warrior," Eponine remarked, sarcasm dripping from her accent.

From a mass of tree, a large beast appeared. It looked somewhat like a wolf, except its eyes were glowing red and it had three tails. Its fur was ash black with hints of glimmering red. It snarled its nasty teeth at all of them, leaned back on its hind legs before it launched itself at them.

Eponine was the first to act, maneuvering herself from behind Enjolras. With her crossbow, she aimed and shot the demon. She managed to hit its side, earning a growl from the demon. Still, it continued to advance and Enjolras pushed Eponine behind him. Though, before it could get any closer, Cosette rushed forward with a sword that she took from Courfeyrac. In one swift motion, she sliced the demon's head off and it fell to the ground with a loud thump. The body began to convulse before it finally stilled and fell to the ground.

"Cosette!" Marius exclaimed as he rushed to her side, putting an arm around her shoulder. With his free hand, he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. Albeit she appeared calm and collected, Marius was able to see a few tears forming in her crystal optics. "Can you please not do that again?"

Cosette laughed and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Sorry," she whispered softly.

Meanwhile, Enjolras spun around and glared at Eponine. "What the hell?" he groaned. "Can't you just cooperate?"

Eponine narrowed her eyes. "No, I can't. If you haven't notice – since you were too busy keeping up your image for a year to notice – I don't listen!"

With that, she walked off, pushing Enjolras aside in the process, to make sure Gavroche was okay.

*****

_"They are planning to send the girl to the mundane world," said Georges, the Head of The Order. He walked around the room with his head held high, both hand held behind him in a dignified manner. All the fellow warriors in the room regarded him with great reverence and would respectfully turn their gaze to the ground when he talked directly at them. Though, Enjolras was the exception._

_Often called a natural and ideal warrior, Enjolras was seen as an equal to all superiors. He lived by the warrior code. It may very well run through his veins. Never has he ever failed a task, never went against his oath. He has never developed an emotional attachment to the people he protects, like some warriors have done in the past, such as Jean Valjean._

_"Enjolras," Georges said as he walked towards the golden haired man. His steps were deliberate and calculate. "I want you to follow the girl and her brother, make sure no harm comes to them when they enter the human world. Word is that King Thenardier wants to start a war with the mundies."_

_Enjolras respectfully bowed his head. "Yes, Sir."_

_He expects to only watch her from a distance, making sure no obstacles comes her way. The last thing on his mind was getting entangled._

*

"So you're a warrior," Cosette said abruptly. She sat herself beside Enjolras, whose gaze was only focused on the fire. After a day of walking through the woods, they decided to camp near a river. Only she and Enjolras were wide awake while the others were in deep slumber.

Enjolras spared her a glance and nodded before returning his attention to the fire. He wore a black hoodie with the hood up, hiding part of his face in the dark. It contrasted greatly with his golden image; he seemed like the type of man the burned with golden glory, not covered in darkness. The shadows belonged to Eponine.

"So you knew Jean Valjean?"

Enjolras nodded once again. "I also know that you are not a mundane."

It was Cosette's turn to nod. "My mother was a witch, but I didn't inherit her powers. Magic is not exactly hereditary."

"No," Enjolras said, his tone soft and low. "It's a recessive trait. Though, in your case, the lack of magic you possess has little to do with genetics and more with a curse."

Cosette stared at him for a long moment before say, "So, you know."

"And you also know that I'm here strictly for Eponine."

At the mention of the girl's name, both quickly glanced at the sleeping figure. She laid with her head on her backpack, her arms protectively wrapped around Gavroche. She looked calm as oppose to the angry countenance she always wore since Enjolras joined them.

"I've been watching her since she was a little girl," Enjolras explained. Cosette gave him her utmost attention. "Since she was twelve, I was given the task to protect her, make sure she stayed hidden from Thenardier. So for eight years, I watched her from a distance, kept tabs on her."

He paused for a moment before he continued. "At first, I just found her to be an amusing girl. She'd always climb trees, innocently use her powers to talk to spirits – they always gravitated towards her. Though she'd never fully use her powers, she has no control over that. Her visions come and go whenever."

"So then what?" Cosette interjected. "What changed?"

Enjolras sighed. "Then I followed her here and actually interacted with her. Warrior code states that we cannot form any attachments with anyone and before Eponine happened, I followed that code faithfully."

"But she's the exception," Cosette said matter-of-factly. "Just like my mom and I were the exception to Valjean, I guess."

*****

_With the entire kingdom in ruins, nineteen year old Eponine was sent to the mundane world with Gavroche. They both landed in a narrow alley between two buildings with little resources and a small amount of knowledge of the mundane world. With all the strength she could muster, Eponine wrapped an arm around Gavroche and they began to walk. Silently, they followed the crowd of mundies in search of shelter._


End file.
